House GOP Regains Offensive With Four Victories

Last year ended badly for House Republicans. They fell into discord over the payroll tax cut extension and ended up giving in to Democrats on the issue. But the House GOP has started 2012 on a roll, The Hill reports.

The House voted 309-117 Wednesday to freeze federal workers' pay until the end of next year.

And this time it was Democrats giving in, with 72 abandoning their colleagues to join the winning side. The 72 also rebelled against Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama, who called for a 0.5 percent federal raise for 2012.

Republicans carried the day with several other bills on the House floor Wednesday. The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill that would reduce welfare fraud by keeping recipients from accessing money in strip clubs, casinos and liquor stores. Just a few dozen Democrats opposed that bill.

A third bill passed by Republicans slices most committee budgets by 6.4 percent or more for 2012.

And finally, the House approved legislation to overturn a plank of the 2010 healthcare law establishing a voluntary long-term health insurance program that even the Obama administration found to be financially unfeasible. More than two dozen Democrats crossed over to join the GOP in a 267-159 vote.